"Initiate now." With that, it began without any warning. Unlike all of his battles thus far, which involved his spawn against invaders, this battle involved his guardian. Unlike the former, which was shown through a screen as dots, the latter was visualized as one would see a movie through a screen. This almost looks like what a video game feels like. I wasn't really one to play those, but this one definitely has a video game-like quality. Heck, I even got the options to attack displayed on the interface, like it would be on a smartphone screen.

____________________________

 

[Battle Interface - Regent of Putrescence]

 

[Guardian Control Panel]

Status: In Battle

[Commands]

 

Necrotic Wave: Unleash a wave of dark energy, damaging all enemies in a cone in front of the spawn.

Cooldown: 10 seconds

『Expand』

 

Cast

Snooze

Time

Exit

 

***

 

Summon Plague Minions: Reinforce the battlefield by summoning a swarm of plague-infested minions.

Cooldown: 30 seconds

『Expand』

 

Cast

Snooze

Time

Exit

 

***

Pestilent Aura: Activate a toxic aura, damaging and weakening nearby enemies over time.

Cooldown: 20 seconds

『Expand』

 

Cast

Snooze

Time

Exit

 

***

Decay Touch: Empower the Guardian's attacks with a corrosive touch, reducing the target's defenses temporarily.

Cooldown: 15 seconds

『Expand』

 

Cast

Snooze

Time

Exit

『Expand』

____________________________

 

On top of granting me a visual representation of the confrontation, it seemed that it also allows me, to some extent, control. Having thus far never been invaded this far into my dungeon, this was, like many things already, a surprise, and a very welcomed one indeed.

From the look of it, I had control, the possibility to influence the spawn so that they use some of the power in the guardian's arsenal. However, it seemed to be only limited to abilities and didn't extend to either the guardian's skills or other actions. But coming from where I came from, where all I could do with my spawn was to have them choose one opponent to focus on, I wasn't going to complain. In fact, I was going to praise the Goddess for this upgrade. But first, let’s put an end to this.

The hostilities opened the moment I cast the closest ability in sight, that one being:

 

____________________________

 

[ Real-time Feedback ]

 

Guardian, Enhanced, Level 38, used ability: Necrotic Wave

_____________________________

 

Rasing both arms as one would welcome a standing ovation, a surge of necrotic energy coalesced around the Guardian. Mostly likely due to the influence of "strengthen environmental hazards, the very fabric of the dungeon seemed to respond, channeling the malevolent power into a formidable force known as the Necrotic Wave. The air pulsated with a sickly green glow as the wave gathered strength.

The Necrotic Wave surged forward, a tide of decay and despair, consuming all in its path.

Seeing what was unleashed at him, the lone invader bellowed a primal roar as he raised his massive battle axe high above his head. Muscles tensed, and with a grim determination etched across his weathered face, he prepared to intercept the impending onslaught. His axe gleamed with fierce determination, a last stand against the encroaching darkness.

As the Necrotic Wave crashed upon the barbarian, the clash of opposing forces resonated through the chamber. The air crackled with an unholy energy as the barbarian's battle axe cleaved through the necrotic tide, a valiant attempt to defy the inevitable. The wave, however, proved relentless, wrapping around the barbarian's weapon like an insidious serpent, seeking to corrupt and devour.

The barbarian strained against the force, his every sinew resisting the inexorable pull of the Necrotic Wave.

For a fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still in the clash of opposing powers—the Necrotic Wave's relentless advance and the barbarian's unyielding defense.

 

____________________________

 

[ Real-time Feedback ]

 

HighBreed, Barbarian, Level 30, used ability: “Indomitable Will”

HighBreed, Barbarian, Level 30, used ability: “Resilient Endurance”

_____________________________

 

After the battle axe swing, the dust cleared. The lone invader remained, surrounded by an eerie glow, alive amidst the fading echoes of the Necrotic Wave. His battle axe bore the corrupting touch of the wave, but he was seemingly untouched.

Confident as I was, I had to admit a little disappointment. My ego bolstered as it was, some part of me wanted to see the lone invader being defeated by that one move. However, before that disappointment could even settle, an interface appeared in front of me, wiping that disappointment out of my soul.

 

_____________________________

 

Name: Tusko Vagar
Level: 31
Race: HighBreed
Class: Barbarian
Health: 17%

Status: In Combat

『Expand』

_____________________________

 

“Hehe… Hahaha, yes. Yes. Yes!”

If there's one thing I've come to learn across the time spent skimming through the acquirable spawns interface, repelling invaders, and improving my strategy invasion after invasion, it is that the concept of level is completely irrelevant when it comes to representing strength.

One might understandably assume that two spawns sharing the same level might be close in strength, but that assumption couldn't be more wrong. The base strength of each class, level, and race differs from one another. While some might look similar, there's bound to be some differences. Talk about saying that no one is born equal; you can't be any clearer.

When it comes to determining strength, what's usually relevant are the two stats known as Offense and Defense, along with the skills and abilities in their possession. Titles are also something to keep an eye on, but since titles were unavailable for my "average" spawns, with the sole exception of my Guardian that has the titles of "Dungeon Guardian" and "Plaguebearer Supreme", which this spawn natively came up with, and one of the reasons for choosing this spawn as my domain guardian, I didn't rely much on the metric except when I had the opportunity to, which thus far had only been once. So yes, the sight of that one attack dealing so much damage to the lone invader that had singlehandedly just torn his way through most of my spawn filled me with uncontained joy.

"Hahaha, that was for all my Spec—" Only to be cut mid-sentence by a sudden attack from the barbarian.

 

_____________________________

 

[ Real-time Feedback ]

 

HighBreed, Barbarian, Level 30, used ability: "Raging Bull"

 

_____________________________

 

The Dungeon Guardian, enhanced and now at Level 38, acted without much of a command from me, using its own skills autonomously.

 

_____________________________

 

[ Real-time Feedback ]

 

Guardian, Enhanced, Level 38, used skill: Evasion of Shadows

 

_____________________________

 

Dematerializing its form through the skill Evasion of Shadows, the guardian evaded the barbarian's attack and rematerialized itself across the room. It once again unleashed another ability autonomously.

 

_____________________________

 

[ Real-time Feedback ]

 

Guardian, Enhanced, Level 38, used skill: Toxic Barrage

 

HighBreed, Barbarian, Level 30, used ability: Feral Instincts

 

_____________________________

 

With an incredible display of acrobatics, the barbarian began evading the barrage of toxic tendrils unleashed in his direction. While he held off his rein very well for the first few seconds, he quickly was overwhelmed to the point of having to defend himself with his battle axe, and clearly, that wasn't the best thing to defend oneself against that kind of attack.

 

_____________________________

 

Name: Tusko Vagar

Level: 31

Race: HighBreed

Class: Barbarian

Health: 11%

Status: In Combat

『Expand』

_____________________________

 

With the barbarian focused on defending himself against the tendrils of toxic, I saw it as an opportunity to finish this. Without hesitation, I had my guardian unleash one of its abilities, which I wanted to see in action.

 

_____________________________

 

[ Real-time Feedback ]

 

Guardian, Enhanced, Level 38, used ability: Pestilent Aura:

_____________________________

 

The Pestilent Aura spread from the Dungeon Guardian, enveloping the barbarian within its noxious influence. The toxic miasma seeped into every crevice, reacting violently with the already weakened state of the invader. The barbarian thrashed and coughed as the poison worked its way through his system.

_____________________________

 

Name: Tusko Vagar

Level: 31

Race: HighBreed

Class: Barbarian

Health: 4%

Status: In Combat

『Expand』

_____________________________

 

The barbarian's health rapidly dwindled, and he struggled to maintain his footing. The combination of Necrotic Wave, Toxic Barrage, and now Pestilent Aura proved to be too much for him. I watched with anticipation as the invader's health reached a critical juncture.

 

_____________________________

 

[ Real-time Feedback ]

 

HighBreed, Barbarian, Level 31, used ability: Unbridled Fury

HighBreed, Barbarian, Level 31, used ability: Bloodthirst

 

Guardian, Enhanced, Level 38, used skill: Grasp of the Abyss

_____________________________

 

In a final act of desperation, the barbarian gathered his remaining strength and attempted a desperate attack. He adjusted his grip on his battle axe and viciously yanked the thing in the Guardian’s direction.

The Dungeon Guardian made no effort to evade the battle axe and let things do a dent into his HP, which tanked quite heavily for my taste. However, the Dungeon Guardian responded with its own skill, Grasp of the Abyss.

The shadows themselves seemed to rise, forming ethereal tendrils that ensnared the barbarian, holding him in place. The desperate strike faltered, and the barbarian's health plummeted to zero.

 

_____________________________

 

Name: Tusko Vagar

Level: 31

Race: HighBreed

Class: Barbarian

Health: 0%

Status: Defeated

『Expand』

_____________________________

 

A notification popped up, signaling the end of the battle. Or so I would've thought I had if I had not known what I knew about this lone invader.

"Is it really over?" I immediately wondered, and fairly soon I received almost instantaneously the answer to that question.

Striking the shadow tentacles binding with the sword that so far he sheathed on his back, the lone invader broke free, but not longer as a barbarian but instead as something else, one that I didn’t miss noticing.

_____________________________

 

[ Real-time Feedback ]

 

HighBreed, Knight, Level 35, used Skill: Holy Enhancement

HighBreed, Knight, Level 35, used ability: Sacred Oath

_____________________________

 

“Hahaha.”

_____________________________

Name: Tusko Vagar

Level: 33
Race: HighBreed
Class: Paladin
Health: 63%

Status: In Combat

『Expand』

_____________________________

 

… I saw it.

It was brief, but within what felt like half a breath, I saw it clearly, as I was seeing that he was now of the Paladin Class.

“Now that I’ve seen it, let’s put an end to this. We’ve dragged this out for far too long. Time for you to pay for the damage you’ve done to my domain.”

Do you enjoy the story? I hope so. If you do, then I'd like to ask a favor of you. Could you please leave a review or rating behind it? It'll help the story out. If possible, I'll in fact prefer you leave the review on Royal Road (the site where I first published this novel; it's still named Soul Harvest). The story is the same, but it's really badly rated on the site (it got like 3*). I'm not sure how you feel about the story, but I don't think it's that bad; at least I hope it isn't. Anyway, that's all for me.